Backpacking Budget

It should be enough.I did it for less than that.
Does your EUR 150 daily budget include the Eurail pass?
You can save money on food just by buying from the supermarkets. Also the price for a bed in a hostel is different from country to country. I think Holland is a bit more expensive. I stayed in Rome , in September for $26, yes $ not euros.
Shyeurope.com has airline tickets for $10 until September.You might want to take a look, it might cost less than the eurail pass. IMO this pass is quiet expensive.

Yes. Budgets are funny that way...sort of like self fulfilling prophecies...it will be ok if you want it to be (within bounds of reason...a recent poster asked if it were possible to visit Rome on one Euro a day). You should have more than enough to do all that you indicate you want to do.

Whew! What with the current outrageous exchange rates and all, I doubt I could afford to spend more than that, so I'm glad that I won't be stretching myself too far. Thanks for the reply!

You will be fine if you stay only at hostels in dorm beds,never order Cokes,eat standing at bars rather than at a table (for which you often pay a cover charge, in many countries), don't buy souvenirs (except for things costing 2€ or less and limit your commercial tours.
You will have great fun-- enjoy every minute

Caroline, your budget is very do-able!

I found using hotwire.com helped me save a lot on hotels. In London I was able to find a 3 star for $89 and I'm heading there next month (june 22). That's 3 stars, mind you. So if you're really into a tight budget you could pick a 2 star hotel for less money. I found that was cheaper than even a B+B. Not sure if its cheaper than a hostal though.

I also found eating "happy hour", take out, or even prefixed menus cut cost. The museums have great lunch specials.

Pack zip lock bags and you can take your meals to go. For instance, if you get a hearty breakfast, take your leftovers to carry you to lunch or snack.

Caroline,

Michelle made a very good point...that is take lots of plastic bags and baggies (zip lock or other style). These can be used to break down supermarket items into smaller containers for lunches and snacks (and according to Ron in Rome, plastic baggies can be hard to get in Italy).

Bea - This budget is after the cost of a plane ticket and Eurail pass. I was thinking about flying budget airlines the entire time, i.e. Ryanair, but I found that they don't have a lot of the connections that I need between cities. I will be getting a student discount for the pass, which helps slightly.

Thanks for the tips about the plastic bags! I'll definitely be saving a lot of food for picnics later on in the day.

I'm so relieved that my budget will work! Here's hoping the dollar gets back on track and I can afford to spend a little bit more each day!

That's €150 per day, right? Not $150 per day? I just returned in October from a two week trip around Bavaria, and I only spent €71/day ($101/day at the time) per day, uncluding local transportion. I stayed in simple, family run B&Bs, but not hostels (€37/nt). Breakfast was included. My meal expense per days was €19 (that included lunch, dinner, drinks, and tips). I found that Bier was economical to drink, and I tipped like a German, not an American. I ate well, although I didn't order the most expensive item on the menu.

In addition, I spent €5,20/day for admissions and €2,70 for misc, including lockers, Internet cafes, and pay toilets.

You should have no problems with 150 Euro per day. That's a generous budget for the kind of trip you describe.

Disagree with previous poster who said your budget is good if you "stay only in hostels in dorm beds". I operated on far less than 150 Euro a day and with some research was able to find great deals on B&Bs, guesthouses and even some hotels. I'm not knocking hostels - they are an excellent way to save money and if you take a bunk in a shared hostel room, you can spend very little on lodging and use the money saved for more splurges on restaurants, drinks or souvenirs.

Since you are travelling in the summer, you may want to look into universities that rent rooms to tourists. Many offer private rooms (from singles to quads) with shared or ensuite bathroom, breakfast and other perks (internet, laundry facilities, etc.). Often they are comparable to hostel prices, but tend to be a little cleaner and larger.

Lee - Yes, I made sure it was €150/day! I would be out of luck on $150!


Ceidleh - Thanks for the tips about the dorm rooms! I'll look into that after I've bought my plane ticket and my trip dates are set in stone.

Caroline,

I think you easily could make it on $150/day not counting Eurail Pass...depending on how many places you are going, you may want to rethink the Pass....take the price of the Eurail pass and compare it to say 10 one way 2nd class trips between the cities you want to visit...I think the mix of hostels and budget B&Bs is great...you will find the hostels to be great sources of information and inspiration (lots of sharing)....try to do the hostels where they are in the cities proper instead of way outside the cities. I stayed in the Rome YHI (old Olymipic dorms), Munich YH, Stuttgart, Garmish PK, Lyon France, and Stockholm (great 3 masted Schooner in the harbor opposite Gamla Stan).

Our budget for 2 pre-teens and 2 adults, over a 5 week trip this coming summer is 350 euros a day (not including our transportation) we will be staying at hostels,budget hotels and we have a rental house for 2 of the weeks. We will have an emergency fund, but I think if we pace ourselves and shop at the markets like the locals do, we should be okay.You should be Just Fine on your budget. Have Fun.